Key Takeaways
- The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 72 medical workers and patients have been killed in Lebanon since September 17, highlighting the humanitarian crisis in the region.
- The conflict in Lebanon has resulted in the closure of 100 of the 207 primary health care centers and dispensaries in conflict-affected areas.
- Israel’s main objective in its operation in southern Lebanon is to create conditions for the return of 60,000 residents who fled shelling in the north of the country.
Geneva: More than 20 attacks have been carried out on health facilities in Lebanon since September 17, killing 72 people and injuring 43 others, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.
“Since the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon on 17 September 2024, WHO has verified 23 attacks on health care in Lebanon that have led to 72 deaths and 43 injuries among health workers and patients,” the organization said in a statement.
The statement added that 100 of the 207 primary health care centers and dispensaries in conflict-affected areas are currently closed. Lebanese health facilities are facing a critical shortage of supplies, and health workers are exhausted due to the ongoing conflict.
Since October 1, Israel has been conducting a ground operation against Lebanese movement Hezbollah in southern Lebanon while continuing airstrikes. Despite losses, Hezbollah has been fighting Israeli troops on the ground and launching rockets across the border. The death toll in Lebanon from Israeli strikes has exceeded 2,300 since the escalation, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Israel says its main objective is to create conditions for the return of 60,000 residents who fled shelling in the north of the country.
